Want better ways to do things in your business? (Why a business process review can uncover opportunities for profitability and efficiency.)

In every business, some processes and workflows occur – every hour. every day, every month. 

But when was the last time you thought about why you do the things you do? Are you really running your business as profitably and productively as possible? 

Are you open to new ways of doing things, or have they always been done that way?

Take a few minutes…. I know you are busy, and you have a mountain of emails to get through… but indulge me for just a moment… what processes occur in your business that you don’t even think about? I mean – you review your staffs’ productivity, you look at new technology to make improvements, but what about all those little ways of getting things done that just happen.

“If an organization is not continuously improving the way it performs processes, it will likely fall behind in the market.”

You can improve any business process. These can range from strategically important decisions to mundane data handling. 

Whether it is a big or a small process, it has the potential to streamline your business and how your team works.

…but it’s always been done that way!

That old chestnut! 

Although we all like routine and things staying the same, this is not the best way to run a business if growth is your objective! What was once the best way to do something may no longer be. Do you think your team are utilising their technology as well as they could be? Could automation improve the error rate in your office? These are all areas to look at during your review.

Step back, look at the processes, and reap the rewards!

When completing a business process review, firstly, identify any redundant processes – do you have team members doing tasks that essentially no longer need to be done? Are orders being approved by someone that is no longer necessary in this process? Have automated approvals removed the need for this step?

Secondly, avoid double handling. Ensure that process is as straightforward and deliberate as possible. Reduce the steps and people involved to those that are an absolute necessity. If an invoice is within budget and matches the purchase order, do you need to send it to a third person to approve payment before sending off?

Identify areas that could be improved.

So far in our business process review, we have removed procedures that are unnecessary and limited the touchpoints in your operations. Now, let’s look at ways you can improve the procedures you have and need.

Software can significantly increase your team’s efficiency and error rate. Are there ways you could be automating parts of your process, utilising your technology to its full potential, and reducing labour hours? 

An example of how a process could be reimagined is in areas like batching invoices, instead of sending them through one by one or utilising programs that automatically send out payslips and payment receipts, instead of a finance person doing these emails one at a time.

Moving with the tech

Another review we recommend doing at Thrive Technologies is an annual review of your software. This ensures you are using all the software features available to you, including automation. At a scheduled yearly review, Thrive will discuss your business challenges and how we can find solutions. Options for improvement could include customising your current system, running some training sessions to ensure your staff are entirely up to date with your solution’s features and the quickest ways of doing things in the system.

Review

After rolling out the new processes, ensure you watch how things are going for the next few weeks. This monitoring will allow you to fix any minor issues that may arise. Ensure you are talking to those involved with the new process and see how it is working for them – you want to ensure it really IS an improvement.

Process improvement requires thought, thinking outside the box, continuous improvement, and buy-in from all involved like any change. Although it can seem overwhelming at first, it can lead to great company insights, improved customer satisfaction, and organisation profitability. If you would like to discuss a business process review and the opportunities you may uncover, contact Thrive today.